STEVE Bruce clocks up four years in charge at Blues on Monday admitting that he faces the biggest challenge of his managerial tenure.

He has vowed to mark the anniversary by picking a team that will be brimming with passion and '100 per cent fully committed' against Fulham tomorrow in the hope of registering a first Premiership win at St Andrew's. Bruce has welcomed moves by the board to galvanise fans' support, but he accepted that Blues had to end their 'pathetic' home record.

He said: "To think it's almost four years now is staggering really - and I hope I make it!

"We've been through a lot since then and I would admit that the last 12 weeks have been an absolute disaster area.

"I've got my biggest challenge now, compared to the challenge I had when I first arrived at the club. Back then it was 'what do I do with this lot?', 'just how are we going to get promotion?'

"We did, of course, and now there are a different set of problems. You can see the confidence is low, the support in the ground is not what it should be - and I understand why. The fans are anxious and fedup as well.

"The other night against West Ham reminded me when we had that first home game, against Walsall, and we won by a retaken penalty. It was dead, people were disenchanted. Things had gone stale.

"We've got to try and win those fans back. The team have, I have. To do that, we've got to produce a performance tomorrow and I hope it will be a typical Birmingham performance of old.

"We're going to go back to those days and the specifics of what I required and what I demanded then.

"We've tried to change our style slightly to kick-on but now we're going to go back to type and I will make sure I pick a team that knows that as well."

Bruce is well aware he is coming under fire but he has no intention of quitting unless, of course, a complete capitulation in the next few weeks makes his position untenable.

He admitted: "We all know the consequences of what happens if the crowd turn or the other, but I'm not even going to mention that [relegation].

"To lose six out of seven league games at home is pathetic. But that's what we've done, this is the position we find ourselves in," he said.

"The only way you can change that is by digging deep and making sure that you roll your sleeves up and are prepared to fight your cause.

"Yes, you might make a mistake but as long as you have a right good go, that's what matters. Everybody is hurt by this whole situation. No-one more than myself.

"And we don't want to be in the bottom three. However, we are and we have to roll up our sleeves. By that, I mean 100 per cent full commitment. That's what we need."

The more games Blues lose, the more pressure builds to the next, especially at St Andrew's.

"I say realistically we've got to get 30 points from the 24 games left," said Bruce.

"It seems nothing, does it, seven or eight wins, out of 24 games? But it is. We've all got to tune ourselves in - as if we didn't already know - to the fact that we are in a fight for our lives. I hope I have got the people and the players who have the stomach for that fight. I know I have."

Bruce refused to accept, unlike some, that everything seemed to be conspiring against Blues - injuries, defensive mistakes, poor finishing, bad luck - and that they were doomed for the drop.

"I've got to try and remain positive in anything I want to do. I don't even want to contemplate the 'R' word.

"I realise, though, that going into the second week of December, nine points from 14 games is a woeful return."